The low down on gocco's future...(it's not good news)
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Original Post
I spoke to someone from Australia's gocco supplier, Nehoc, the other day & asked lots of questions about what's going on with gocco.
As we know, production of the machines ceased in June - but since so many have been produced, stocks are plentiful, especially from online sellers, ebay, etc.
As for the consumables, Riso is apparently no longer supplying US-based retailers. The supply agreement with the US is totally different to Australia - apparently the machines & consumables supplied to the US were produced specifically for the US market, & Riso doesn't find that profitable anymore.
Luckily for we Australians, our supplies are directly from Japan (the same as those made for the Japanese market) so as long as they're being sold in Japan, they will hopefully be available in Aus too (& Nehoc has stock to last at least the next 5 years).
Unfortunately, even in Japan, the packs of 5 screens are no longer being made (you can only buy packs of 2 screens & 2 bulbs) & many of the ink colours are no longer being made...so you just have to get what you can until the stocks run dry.
As for another manufacturer picking up where Riso left off, apparently the bulbs are the main problem. Only two manufacturers in the entire world make them & they're not cost effective to make unless in massive quantities. There is a (very expensive) machine Riso made to flash the screens, but they no longer make that either! They still make a machine to flash their coarser mesh...nowhere near as fine as the gocco master screens though, so only suitable for cloth, not paper.
So it looks like the American market may run dry of supplies quite soon & US-based people will need to buy online from Japanese sellers. Unfortunately Nehoc doesn't ship to the US.
So very sad...
Posted at 9:46am Aug 10, 2008 EDT
Responses
This is sad! I have always wanted to try Gocco, but it looks like I won't get the chance.
:-(
Posted at 11:29am Aug 10, 2008 EDT
OH NO!! That is awful news, of course as supplies run out they will just get more expensive. I love my gocco and will be truly gutted when I can't use it anymore. :(
Posted at 11:36am Aug 10, 2008 EDT
I have noticed that currently there is only one gocco printer for sale on the whole of Etsy whereas before they seemed to be plentiful.
Posted at 12:36pm Aug 10, 2008 EDT
Painful news, but thanks for the information. I'm tempted to turn my basement into a Gocco bunker and horde supplies...
Posted at 12:13pm Aug 13, 2008 EDT
I am so bummed, I just started Goccoing & I love it! I'm going to hoard supplies now :-(
Posted at 12:42pm Aug 13, 2008 EDT
i have been fascinated by gocco since i first saw an article on it in readymade. i thought the stuff was already out of production tho.
Posted at 1:42pm Aug 13, 2008 EDT
I have no idea why Riso can't see there's a huge market in the USA for this.
Well, I guess we can always hope that Martha Stewart will make one. Then we can buy that.
It boggles my mind that some US based craft co. hasn't ripped off this idea yet-- they'd make a killing.
With all the diecutting, sewing, custom embroidering devices on the market, you'd think a U.S. based small silkscreener would be welcomed. If I had the money, I'd start that biz myself.
Posted at 1:48pm Aug 13, 2008 EDT
snif snif ... it sounds like I need to stock up ASAP.
Posted at 1:54pm Aug 13, 2008 EDT
heartbreaking...
is gocco going to be a lost art?!
Posted at 1:57pm Aug 13, 2008 EDT